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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. key — the most important part
  3. track — a path
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for golf
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. club — for dancing
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fall — to drop
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fork — in a road
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. track — a song
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com